Two years too late
by tiredmutt
Summary: It's exactly 5 years after meeting her greatest friends and allies and Ochako, now ranked number 3 in all of Japan, is shining literally every time she touched something there is a pink flash, though the situation around their class that was once again in the dark and surrounded by very dangerous villains. (a/n: get ready for emotional pain uwu)
1. Ch1 Queen of the clouds

_Some only live to die, I'm alive to fly higher  
Than angels in outfields inside of my mind  
I'm ascendin' these ladders, I'm climbin', say goodbye  
This old world, this old world  
And when I fall to rise with stardust in my eyes  
In the backbone of night, I'm combustible  
Dust in the fire when I can't sleep, awake, I'm too tired  
This whole world, this whole world _

It's exactly 5 years after meeting her greatest friends and allies and Ochako, now ranked number 3 in all of Japan, is shining literally every time she touched something there is a pink flash, though the situation around their class that was once again in the dark and surrounded by very dangerous villains. It warms Tsuyu's heart in a way she's repressed for precisely two years out of UA to see the amazing heroics of her once close now distant friend as she illuminated in occasional flashes of light coming from their friends' other attacks as well. She shook her head and acted fast in wrapping her tongue around four villains tossing them effortlessly to the side while reluctantly tearing her wide proud eyes from Ochako's now rippling back in her tight stylish pink suit, matching white polka-dot tie barely clinging on, as she floated around launching heavy projectiles here and there at villains, fending them off as she glided the injured staff out of the line of fire. Effortlessly.

" _Now really_ _is_ _n't the time to dwell on old_ _unrequited_ _crushes..."_ she thought solemnly, getting into her rank 5 state of mind as she kicked a rather muscular villain away from one of the well liked support teachers her lean but defined leg muscles flexing as she bounced away deftly in her tight yet modest emerald green dress now ripped at the hip enough for her to move around the battlefield of fifty or more attacking villains and her outnumbered but entirely capable friends. She didn't notice the chestnut eyes locked to her form as she launched into leap after leap, much like a frog, off of the gravity defying chunks of the gym wall stunning villains for her comrades all across the ruined state of the art building with her signature genuine but reserved grin and powerful kicks.

It reminded a lot of them of fun times training together in that same building, before it was refurbished after the second year Katsuki incident, but there were a select few frowning worried at their current predicament. All dressed in fancy clothes slightly drunk off of Denki and Hanta's literal keg but they were now very serious seeing as nearly all of the occupants of the old gym were pro heroes falling in various places on the Japanese national hero ranks. None below the twenty mark. As expected Izu, -Deku, was in the front line proclaiming his catchphrase:

"Everyone! No fear, we are here!" letting the villains, who obviously knew of the prestigious class 1-A and that they were finally all in one place, know that the newly appointed pillar of peace and number 1 hero was ready to save the day for his friends and the staff present in the gym. He was angered by the rude interruption of his beloved class' reunion, the east wall exploding into chunks sending everyone from relaxed jubilation into pro mode immediately only minutes ago.

His face nevertheless showed a determined unwavering smile as he ripped off his mint green bow tie and powered up with cracks of green energy buzzing around him, the wooden flooring beneath his dress shoes shattered as he kicked into action.

Shoto, content number 2 in rank behind his well-deserving fiance who was fending off three villains at once with he himself being his stoic boyfriend throwing ice and fire here and there to cover his back while Deku flipped and kicked faster than most of those without perception quirks to track. He let a small smile cross his lips as his powerful small muscular rabbit like fiance took out all three villains and launched himself further into the fray after breathing and tossing a sure brilliant smile at his other half of the famous inseparable hero duo. Shoto almost tripped up. Almost. He froze a villain behind him who thought he had the jump on the distracted tree of a man with thin icy whiskers on his upper lip. He exhaled an icy breath, fixed his crooked white tie, and raced after his still sometimes reckless partner of going on four years the small fond smile turning into a determined smirk.

Katsuki, number 4 hero, was laughing maniacally his mountain like form just as agile as the zipping green lightning blur he was still trying to usurp, controlled explosions going off in villain after villain's faces. Not enough to maim, but knock them out sure. He's made at least some progress in civility thanks to his manly sweet husband and hero partner, Eijirou, sitting comfy at rank number 8. It was a shock to most of their class to hear the two men had been on an assignment in the US, in Las Vegas escorting some rich company owner to a show and ended up first of the class to be married, in the foreign country shortly after their first class reunion. Eijirou, damn his stupid handsome spiked bearded face, had not stopped teasing him all night for bobbing his head to the beat of a well known girlish American pop star.

Anyway, their client's 15 year old daughter, their real escort, screaming with her friends to a song Katsuki with his scruffy scarred face grudgingly remembered being "Poison" or "Toxic" or something he didn't fucking know. They impulsively got married that night in a cheap roadside "church" despite the teasing and to his red headed boyfriend of two years', friend of five's, absolute delight. Of course their marriage had still not been transferred to Japan, most of their class didn't think it was genuine, but like the two say "It's just a piece of paper." wearing their matching simple bands of gold on sturdy chains around their necks catching the light as they worked around each other fending off the bad guys like always with great but controlled force.

Momo, rank number 10, was providing backup to Kyoka, number 11, who was working with Denki, fellow agency partner and number 18, his electricity giving a much needed boost to her already ear piercing directional sound blasts coming from one of her portable speaker weapons the taller more curvaceous of the two newly wed women was glad she hadn't been able to talk her cautious goth partner of three years out of bringing. At least 6 villains dropped to the ground unconscious as the two power charged duo high fives. She smiled at the best friends and didn't think there were villains around this area still sour over the class's graduation battle against the expanded league of villains, but here they all were. It seemed like every time they planned a get together rude villains always come and ruin their fun times.

She frowned parrying a more muscular blade quirked woman away from her short partner with grace and an intricate long sword summoned from her flesh in an instant. Momo pushed the villain away and spun gracefully in her sparkling low cut black dress to meet another attacker with a just as fancy shield as Jirou glanced back proud of her quick thinking powerful wife. The lifetime goth was wiping her brow with her long tailored shirt sleeve and snapped her lesbian flag colored suspenders once, the only color in her mainly black outfit, with poorly hidden glee as Denki gave her an only slightly silly grin with a thumbs up one hand under one of his own bisexual flag themed straps across his still lean chest seeing the touching display of protection and affection with fondness.

Fumikage, rank number 6, is having a bit of trouble controlling dark shadow in the dark of the dramatically moonless void of night brought on by the cut power of the campus and half collapsed building but Mezo's constant powerful rank 9 presence kept his fine line under control as he bodily checked a couple villains away from his precious bird headed boyfriend and grinned at him from one of his many limbs his long white hair swaying on his chiseled exposed back. "I've got your back Fumi, go nuts." The many armed man wore a tight teal suit ripped from action. Dark shadow roared viciously but was still under strict control as the avian man in his cape/costume blushed and wrapped it's familiar chill, like standing in the shade an early spring morning, around his body and his new boyfriend's blocking an incoming explosion from someone other than Katsuki. Their elbows brushed and the two professional heroes both smirked taking out respective villains.

Mina, Tooru, and Yuuga, fought in a high functioning fashionable group years of working in the same agency under a more cosmetic less combative hero still working well for them in blinding their opponents with bright flashes and quick thinking martial arts that ended with melted useless weapons courtesy of a still giggly Pinky, rank number 12 and self-proclaimed leader of the flashy group. She precisely aimed jets of corrosive acid as she zoomed here and there in her bright sequence dress almost as sparkly as Yuuga's suit. Almost as sparkly but not quite, she had pouted about that as Yuuga preened. Tooru, rank 15, dressed in a yellow dress flowing at her invisible feet in high heels and Yuuga, rank 19 still flamboyant as ever still helped out immensely blinding and blasting baddies across the room. Their sparkling, Denki's strobes, Katsuki's almost constant booming flashes, and Shoto's steady flames lighting their dark battleground occasionally as the targeted group fought valiantly efficiently wiping out the large force swarming the gym one by one from the nearby breached walls rumored to be so strong now that one of Izuku's famed kicks wouldn't dent them. So much for that.

Speaking of strong kicks, Rikido the now pudgier but still muscular man in a too-tight suit from high school working at rank 16 was battling alongside Mashirao in his customary black gi at rank 13, used to collaborating thanks to their nearby agency's proximity they worked well together taking out enemies with swift strong contact as, the chase and secure hero duo, Tenya in full white armor and Hanta dressed in a snazzy yellow and black suit zoomed around them securing downed villains and herding them into a corner further secured by Mr. Cementoss, the only veteran teacher present to help with the esteemed alumni once again under siege.

For once everyone was glad Koji, rank 14, hadn't made it to the reunion the still soft-hearted animal rescue hero would have been panicking with only a few birds and possibly squirrels milling about the city locked campus to help his dearest friends out. He was needed in Brazil at the moment, his quirk necessary for rare animal conservation in the dense rain forest he was most likely trudging happily through at the moment according to Rikido with a soft look earlier in the night. The two were very close, but that wasn't important now as the villains started to get scared of the unwavering group and tried to retreat but were swiftly caught by Shoto's ice as they were slowed by Deku and Uravity also still on the front lines working together like old times showing little exhaustion until villain after villain are captured.

Everything slowly calms around them as the last of the villains were wrangled and secured for the incoming police battalion they could hear finally blaring their way. Everyone searched the area, combing it for more stealthy villains and injured staff to be safe as thunder cracked above them and a sudden downpour started. If everyone's fancy clothes weren't already ruined by the battle they were going to be as the sky let loose above them. The clouds must have rolled in while they fought Tsuyu mused to herself as the stuck to the remainder of the ceiling scanning for anymore villains with the rest of her more cautious companions as their more easy going friends slowly let their guard down and congratulated each other all genuinely impressed with each honed quirk and how well the battle had gone.

Tsuyu finally relaxed, letting the rain wash away the sweat gathered on her forehead, as police and ambulances rushed onto the scene her inky eyes catching the still very pink suited Ochako who seemed to be looking around. She was radiant as ever. Uravity's quick happy looking conversation with Izuku and Tenya ended with fondness and hugs she could see even from her position all the way up in the rafters looking down hair dangling free for once almost blending with the darkness and rain. She couldn't help but blush slightly eyes making contact with the zero gravity hero who brightened like a supernova though drenched to the bone and seemed to be readying to float up and join her based on her hands pressing together.

Though before her nice hot pink dress shoes left the ground, right hand held up in a sheepish wave, Tsuyu tensed seeing a villain well hidden in some rubble rise up behind her. The only nearby heroes being her two longest best friends locked in a serious discussion with their backs to the scene. Tsuyu jumped without a second thought with panic evident on her usually hard to read face as Ochako looked up confused as the distance closed between the unseen arch of black energy heading straight for the high ranked woman from behind and the panicked frog-like woman leaping at her front.

Tsuyu regrets this day the most. Even more than her many failures to confess to her previously most dearest friend.

The almost supersonic beam sliced through Uravity's raised right arm a little below the shoulder. It travels through it's stunned target and straight through the rainy season hero's outstretched left hand severing her ring and pinky finger without her notice as Yuuga of all people tackled the villain and Ochako looked at her arm in shock. It was just...gone. Her dominant arm just ceased to exist. Then the blood came as Izuku and Tenya roared in anguish hearing/seeing her drop to her knees whimpering showing rare fear as waves of intense pain creeped into her body and a villains' maniacal cackle sounded loudly, the two men immediately ran to join their closest friend as she looked at the bleeding stump left behind in shock.

Tsuyu herself was caught, her path interrupted by a very panicked looking Fumikage with dark shadow. She didn't even notice her two missing fingers now bleeding at their stumps. All she sees is Ochako just staring at her own bloodied stump turning pale, her normally lovely tan skin lightening by the moment, as Tenya held Izuku's previously light green blazer against the gushing wound and Izuku was held back by a very icy Shoto from going after the already apprehended loudly bragging unnamed villain in police custody.

Deku's ever present sweet smile on his freckled face was replaced by tearful rage.

"Asui! T-Tsuyu! Stay with us!" From a quick glance, her unlikely best-friend, Fumikage looked desperate as paramedics pulled her out of his grasp. Her teary eyes left Ochako as she was swarmed as well, ashamed, even as her vision blurred and darkened at the edges. She wished she hadn't heard the horrifying screams of pain unleashed from her long time crushes throat as she drifted into unconscious void being pulled onto a stretcher. The wound shouldn't have knocked her out,

" _I_ _t's nothing compared to Ochako…"_ was Tsuyu's last thought.

"...said they'd wake up by now!" She heard Izuku's worried voice in the darkness. Her eyelids were so heavy…it's cold.

"We must be patient! The doctors here are the best, you know this, we know this." Tenya was the ever present word of reason.

"Iida is correct, we shouldn't lose ourselves in this awful waiting game. Our comrades are strong." Fumikage spoke up quietly.

Tsuyu croaked hoarsely, finally able to open her eyes, and stirred. The room's current three occupants gathered around her bed and she blinked the blurriness out of her vision. When that didn't work she lifted her left hand to rub her eye and hissed at the pain that shot from her appendage. She felt a soft grip pull her hand away at the wrist away from her face before quickly retreating.

The three concerned men crowded around her hospital bed. Fumikage was placing his hand back at his side and shuffled nervously in his black hoodie and gray sweatpants his soft worry evident even on his beaked face. Izuku was quietly crying disheveled in an old all-might t-shirt and shorts his own hand hand holding her now good hand as Tenya stood dressed sharply as always stiffly hovering.

They all had the same question on their faces.

"How do you feel?" Izuku asked in a whisper voicing their concerns as she held her bandaged hand in her own view wrist limp like always.

Ah.

"Ouch, kero." Was all she said with a soft solemn grin. She was obviously missing two of her long digits, not the end of the world honestly it was just two she assured herself and the men. As her head cleared and she fully awoke she looked around the sterile room past the awkwardly laughing men. Her breath caught in her throat as she noticed the bed just behind Izuku. Ochako.

She was still out, it seemed. Judging by the softly beeping machine and oxygen mask on her face her long time crush and once dearest friend was at least stable. Her immaculate pink suit was open, cut at the buttons and splayed around her, her ample chest covered by the thin hospital blanket. Tsuyu frowned fighting the tears welling up as she saw Uravity's chiseled but still soft looking upper torso. On her right side it was heavily wrapped with a slightly stained nub in her arm's place. Her love- wait no-...yes, love's, body was still pale and frail looking despite her years of hard earned muscle and scars evident to those with eyes. Tsuyu had to look away. She swallowed her sorrow and guilt, "calm" demeanor now fully back in function as she tried to ease her friends' worry over her.

"Is Ochako going to be okay? Kero..." She asked expression neutral head tilted slightly not showing her desperate need to know, she hoped.

"...S-She, hasn't woken up, it's been three days." Izuku chokes and Tenya wraps a supportive arm around his other best friend.

"The doctors say, you two will live...though-" Fumikage couldn't seem to answer and stayed silent his dark demeanor tired and obviously still worried judging from his not so discreet glances at her missing fingers and away looking distant.

"What are you trying to sa-" Tsuyu's nervous question is interrupted by Recovery Girl walking in looking entirely too serious as the men snapped to attention. Years of healing thanks to this kind granny had instilled a deep respect for the now retired hero, she had gotten old 1-3/A through a lot of injuries.

"Okay boys, visiting hours are over I'm afraid, shoo shoo." She waved the concerned boys out of the room, them saying not so hidden pitying goodbyes as they left promising to visit soon. Tsuyu waved weakly with her good hand.

"Okay dear, how is your pain?" Recovery girl got to business, stepping up onto a stool with surprising dexterity and gingerly taking Tsuyu's injured hand into her own gently unwrapping the dirtied bandages as the rainy season hero tried not to wince.

"B-Bearable, kero." Tsuyu saw her frown and shake her head, knowing the frog-like woman was downplaying her pain like she always had as a teen no doubt, before looking at her now unveiled hand. Oh. It was purple and red but not deeply so. The two sewn up digits looked well enough, she knew an infection when she saw one and her wounds were healthy. Judging by the elder hero's small smile as well as she wrapped her hand gingerly with new bandages it was at least healing okay, but she had a concern, medical procedures were incredibly advanced these days. Couldn't they have easily re-attached their severed limbs? As if reading her thoughts, the kind old woman grabbed Tsuyu's good hand and patted it.

"I'm sorry to say we couldn't find your fingers, Ms. Asui, nor Ms. Uraraka's arm I'm afraid. The horrid villain's quirk completely destroyed them." The revelation stings, she had small hope for her fingers, sure. Though the thought of Ochako, a main component to her quirk was...gone. It's the end of Uravity. That makes Tsuyu tear up, not the thought of her own missing fingers, her love's dream was demolished in one night that was supposed to be a well needed break with their dearest comrades.

It wasn't fair.

"You'll be able to leave in just a little while, I'm sure. Keep your chin up, dear." Recovery girl looked at the sleeping girl also with barely hidden pity and shook her head shuffling out the door leaving Froppy alone in the entirely too cold room. Alone with the steady beeping and her thoughts.

" _If I'd just been faster...stronger...with my actions and feelings..."_ She brought her right hand to her thin trembling lips. Tsuyu was alone and that meant she could actually break down, no one was there to see her emotions. She cried silently into her large unmarred hand, unable to look at Ochako. The poor woman had barely just recently gotten over the tragic accident her parents had died in two years ago according to her first casual conversation with Izuku in two years, to her horror, only days before the ruined second annual yearly reunion. Two months after their daughter graduated ready to take on the world, only a month after Tsuyu had run away from her own emotions to a hero job on the coast, Ochako's parents had passed. It was the worst thing she'd ever done, leaving her best friend over selfish feelings only for her beloved parents to die in a flaming wreck twenty-nine days after. She hiccuped quietly cursing herself.

"Tsuyu!" Her head snapped up to see her parents rush into the room. She felt what was left of her composure shatter as her mom, Beru Asui, hugged her tightly crying and her dad, Genma Asui, placed a large comforting hand on her head with tears in his eyes.

"You did good, Tsu, kero." Genma rubbed her greasy hair, her gorgeous oil-slick like strands dulled and messed by days of not showering, croaking deep voice comforting. "We saw you...on the news, we organized sitters, took off work, and rushed here as soon as we could to see you."

"I-I wasn't good enough..." Tsuyu hiccuped through her tears hugging her sobbing mother close and relishing in her father's uncommon show of affection.

"Oh honey, you did your best." Beru leaned back and kissed her forehead through tears. "We're so proud of you and your friends, kero."

The compliments didn't stick, she knows she didn't do her best, her love was missing her arm and nothing seemed right anymore. Either way, she still gives her parents a soft smile easing their fears at least a little bit.

"Ughhh..."

Tsuyu perked up looking around her dad's large frame with concern hearing the pained groan.

"What happened-" Ochako seemed more confused having willed her right hand to wipe the sleep out of her eyes much like Tsuyu had earlier, but her fingers didn't touch her face and the limb barely moved as she wanted. She opened her eyes, fully awake, and looked at her stubborn appendage expecting to see it in a cast or something secured to her chest. It had happened before, so she just blinked in silent surprise at the stump that met her clouded brown eyes, her breathing turning heavy in the oxygen mask. "...Oh-Oh no..."

"Uraraka-chan!" Beru rushed to the girl's side putting a concerned motherly hand on Uravity's single arm.

Tsuyu's parents adored the bubbly hero ever since their daughter had introduced them during their second year when Ochako couldn't afford to go home for their week long break from UA and had her stay over, Ochako had also loved the cute frog family. It was a wonderfully warm snowy winter week together, her parents loved Ochako's polite cute nature, her younger siblings adored her floating them around the living room with glee. Tsuyu remembered the completely domestic feeling that rose in her chest while she softly giggled watching her siblings bob along happily with Ochako chuckling at the kids she focused on keeping safely suspended in the air. Satsuki was gleeful and loud and Samidare was pleased as well though he tried and failed to hide it.

In the bleak present, Tsuyu looked away from her mother and her unrequited love quietly talking thorough her own tears ashamed. She didn't deserve to feel like that with Ochako, not anymore.

"Tsu..." Her dad didn't know what to say seeing her absolute defeat, so he just rubbed the back of her neck like he had when he used to cradle his tiny premature baby in his arms warm and safe. He pulled her to his chest as large tears rolled down her cheeks again. It may have looked awkward to an outside observer, but her dad was trying his best and Tsuyu did appreciate it as her mother talked softly to a calmer Uravity and Genma rubbed her slender neck paternally. If she was honest, she could have fallen asleep right there still exhausted and more so from crying so much. She felt like a scared kid. It was out of character for Froppy, the brave blunt rainy season hero, but she didn't care.

She and Ochako share her parents for nearly an hour, each comforting the women in their own way, neither injured women acknowledging each other yet. The pair may have not been teens anymore, now in their 20's, but they needed this support they had lost their limbs in what should have been an easy situation for them to handle being pros practically since fifteen.

The two concerned parents reluctantly leave after another doctor tells them family visiting hours were over. It seems Recovery Girl had been wrong in her estimate of time left in the sterile building, though it wasn't like she wanted to leave Ochako, she knew she didn't deserve it but any time spent with her love was still important since the gravity hero obviously still needed additional support. She frowned, It was so easy to call Ochako "love" now...She internally chastised herself again. She didn't deserve to call Ochako that.

"Tsu..." Ochako is staring at the ceiling. Tsuyu almost cries again when she sees the utterly hopeless look on the confident rank 3 hero's normally happy face… or what used to be a happy face, she didn't know her like that anymore. Uravity looks at her stump again feeling her breathing speed up and the beeping of the heart monitor doing the same. Beru wasn't here to offer her maternal comfort, so Tsuyu swallowed her shame and swung her legs over the side of the hospital bed. She ignored the feeling of her dirty green dress bunching on her weakened legs, grabbed her iv stand, and walked wobbly over to sit on her lov-...Ochako's bed. She hesitantly takes the panicking woman's good hand within hers rubbing her thumb over the soft skin as Uravity calmed but cried silently.

They sat in silence, Tsuyu being strong for her heavily injured ex-best friend, for once, as about another hour passed and a nurse wheeled in their dinner. Tsuyu reluctantly gets back into her own bed as Uravity smiled pleasantly, hiding her fear and anguish like a pro as the fanboy of a man served them their sub-par hospital meal with an apology and left them alone once more. By the time they finish eating, they're both in horrible pain the meds having worn off and the same nurse comes in to take their dishes as another walks in with what the girls knew to be their night dose of painkillers.

They both fall asleep soon after, important words still left unsaid.

 _I'm king of the clouds, of the clouds  
I get lifted, I get lifted  
King of the clouds, of the clouds  
I get lifted, I get lifted  
Imagination, take me somewhere I don't know  
I'm lost but I better find it alone  
King of the clouds, of the clouds  
I get lifted, I get lifted _

_I keep searching  
Oh, I keep searching  
I keep searching _

" _King of The Clouds"-Panic! At the Disco_

NOTES:

Woooo boy! I cried writing this tbh so don't feel bad if it got you, we're all friends here. This fic is gonna be like 12 chapters long and almost all of them have the angst germs. Gonna end on a light note though, for sure, so look forward to that if you like this au enough to follow it to the end!

Thanks for reading! \owo

Hero Ranks:  
1\. Izuku Midoriya  
2\. Shoto Midoriya  
3\. Ochako Uraraka  
4\. Katsuki Bakugou  
5\. Tsuyu Asui  
6\. Fumikage Tokoyami  
7\. Tenya Iida  
8\. Eijirou Bakugou  
9\. Mezo Shoji  
10\. Momo Yaoyorozu  
11\. Jirou Yaoyorozu  
12\. Mina Ashido  
13\. Mashirao Ojirou  
14\. Koji Kouda  
15\. Tooru Hagakure  
16\. Rikido Sato  
17\. Hanta Sero  
18\. Denki Kaminari  
19\. Yuuga Aoyama


	2. Ch2 The numbing

_With dirt on your knees and blood in your teeth  
You want life to lead you to believe in something, but it's coming  
The numbing_

 _So we dive on into the deeper end  
For a blissful kiss from Judas's lips, but it's coming  
Oh yeah, the numbing_

The next morning Ochako and Tsuyu awoke to a surprising sight. An entirely too exhausted and old looking Shota Aizawa and his long time husband Hizashi who were both seated quietly talking to each other in low voices which was odd for the loud dj hero. All Might, pacing in his frail form seeming even more sunken, noticed the two girls' confused expressions and poofed into his large form for only seconds. He couldn't hold it longer anymore with "one for all" being "ashes", still there but no longer able to use, as he describes it to the top heroes two of his nineteen beloved trusted pro pupils. His first and last class before his promotion to principal. The girls think they see tears in his eyes but his deep bow hides them, his voice still booming tinged with sadness.

"Young heroine's! My entire being is filled with regret over not being there to help you! My deepest apologies!"

"All Might..." Ochako inhaled fighting her tears as Tsuyu shot her an unseen look of concern before grimacing and averting her inky eyes.

"Ah, Asui-san, Uraraka-san..." Shota looked up his sharp eyes soft with his normally outgoing dramatic husband quiet in civilian clothes as they stood to join All Might still bowing to the two women at the end of their beds.

"I know we're no longer your teachers, but we took liberty and contacted your firms while you both were...asleep." Shota looked to Tsuyu who was avoiding everyone's eyes unlike what was usual steady if not awkward sometimes eye contact from the frog-woman. He sighed sadly seeing the famous heroes out of character, Hizashi squeezed his hand giving him power to finish this hard task. All Might rose from his bow still looking conflicted as he listened. "Asui-san, Captain Selkie wishes you well and he said to take as long as you need to recover, you have many vacation days."

Hizashi encouraged him as he turned to Uraraka, one of his most improved students, for a moment he felt his will drain at her naturally curious face seeing that unsure fifteen year old girl again in her numbed expression but continued regardless just as numbly.

"Uravity...Uraraka-san...we all thank you for your service." Shota bowed deeply along with his husband and the retired legendary number 1 hero once more. They rose at once, Mic and All Might avoiding her crushed eyes as she realized what was happening. Ochako heard a sob from her left, too numb to look over at Tsuyu, away from her former teachers.

"Your firm has sent in your injury retirement forms and you will be getting a large sum of money back for your selfless years of service. I-I'm truly sorry..." Shota sighed again forlornly.

And like that. Ochako knew her life had ended for the third time in two years.

The teachers said their goodbyes, Hizashi sliding his former student he and Shota's home number encouragingly before turning with tears in his eyes, still quiet locking arms with Shota. They left and she and Tsuyu were alone again. Uravity pulled her pillow over her face with her single arm and wailed her anguish into the soft material. Thirty minutes after she finally calms, Tsuyu is still not looking at her, and all the dear women from their former class arrive. Even the bubbly ones of the group were solemnly silent. Mina handed an emotionless Ochako a soft green frog plush with a sniffle and smile and Tooru "floated" a brown stuffed puppy with fluffy ears into Tsuyu's subdued hand, Tooru's invisible expression impossible to see but sniffles heard.

"W-We learned of your….situation, Ochako...We're sorry we couldn't help you...Y-You as well Tsuyu! Sorry!" Momo wasn't one to cry, not anymore, but her eyes still welled up and Kyoka patted her wife's head as she leaned down to cry into her shoulder. Kyoka wasn't good with words, but her look said all that Ochako didn't want to hear.

Uravity swallowed her sorrow and flashed a smile not nearly matching her usual enthusiasm. She thanked her friends looking them in the eyes and Tsuyu quietly said her thanks as well still not looking at anyone. The other women, not knowing what to say anymore, looked between Tsuyu and Ochako sadly and knowingly before saying their goodbyes. They could hear Mina and Tooru's wails as they walked away from their now involuntarily retired colleague and their silent frog-friend's room.

"Why does the universe love torturing me..." Ochako whispered, not thinking her injured ex-best friend and former(?) crush would hear the mumbled words.

"I-I don't think the universe cares about you..." Tsuyu cringed inwardly at the hurt look on Ochako's face, her words were too blunt, again. "I didn't mean it like that! I m-meant, kero, everything happens randomly...It's nature. We can't control it but we can learn to adapt to whatever is thrown at us as specks on a rock in infinite space. Also we're not alone, not truly. Kero. There's always someone to help, it's just a matter of finding those who care and I think we're blessed with at least sixteen wonderful friends, minus Bakugou, and multiple mentors who will always help us out in hard times. Kero."

"...How do you always know what to say?" Ochako says unable to hide the wonder and slight amusement in her tired voice at the other woman's ability to say something to always ease her panicked scared heart even a little. At least that's how it used to be between them...She shouldn't get her hopes up again. If she scared Tsu, she'd disappear into the ocean like a frog-mermaid, leaving her alone like before...Surely.

"I-I can never say what I want to...It just sort of bubbles out sometimes, I guess...Kero." Tsuyu blushed only slightly her inner shame still strong enough to quell her hopeful thoughts of the other hero-...former hero.

She had to be strong in front of Ochako at least. The brunette with stylish shaved spots on either side of her scalp, round head of poofy soft locks were still like her hairstyle from high school, but the dulled galaxy in her eyes was new. She needed someone to be strong for her until she could recover and though Froppy had her doubts in her ability a small unsure smile from the former zero-gravity hero aimed directly at her gave her strength.

"O-Ochako, I'm _so sorr-_ " Interrupted again by a tentative knock on the door frame and new visitors. It was probably for the better as she waved to the group weakly ribbiting.

The boys had arrived now, a short scruffy looking Izuku and his tall more composed fiance entered clearly concerned look also on his scarred face both in the lead. Shoto's face was covered with frost much like his fiance's patchy five o' clock shadow indicating their likely lack of sleep to the injured women. Tenya and Fumikage rushed to their best-friends' beds at a respectful pace now in front of the large group taking their good hands gently into theirs. Ochako showed pain on her face for a split second but still smiled at all the awkward men crowded into the room. Not one of the pro heroes missed it.

"Oi, round face..." Katsuki was oddly reserved and gentle when addressing his regular sparring/workout partner. He yelled but his booming raspy voice just didn't have the same bite as Eijirou grabbed his large calloused hand and squeezed. "You better not miss our fucking sparring sessions even though your arms off!"

Ochako blinked. She didn't feel the same rush to meet his challenge head on as usual and nodded smiling unsure at the muscular man she had bested in a spar only days ago to his annoyance at the time. She felt completely numb. Katsuki's face dropped momentarily, expecting a witty retort like usual, but he huffed and left the room as Eijirou profusely apologized and wished them the best scratching his red beard nervously following quickly after his husband.

"How are you doing, Asui-I mean, Tsu?" Fumikage squeezed her hand almost feeling the sorrow rush over his frog-like friend himself as Mezo put a comforting hand on his shoulder and smiled at Tsuyu with a couple of his odd mouths. Tsu used her shaky injured hand to give a silent thumbs up hiding her wince of pain well from years of practice. Koji hadn't made it but he showed his concern and wished them well in a small video sent to Rikido to show his injured friends.

Tenya cleared his throat.

"I have ordered you both get-well gifts! They're spa kits, and they're waiting at each of your homes! I'm very sorry they weren't sent here like planned. Though the items wouldn't do any good here would they?" The asexual man wasn't good at showing his emotions but his eager yet sad smile was comforting to Ochako and Tsuyu thanks to years of his loyal honest reign as class president experienced in helping any of his friends in trouble in his own slightly awkward way.

"Thanks, Tenya, I appreciate it." Ochako squeezed his hand as Tsuyu also said her thanks quietly.

Hanta, Denki, Mashirao, and Sato didn't quite know the right words to say but they still took turns walking over and quietly saying their best to try and lift their friends' spirits. It helped a bit having their sweet guys who were normally mostly quite hopeless with feelings coming to visit them like their fellow friends of the woman variety who were equally cherished.

Ochako remembered what Tsuyu said to her earlier and felt a little warmer, but the sudden ache in her arm quickly chased that away. It felt horrible, like she still had her arm and all her nerves were on fire but she couldn't shake the pain away. She bit her lip looking away from the guys' questioning worried gazes as a small whimper leaves her lips. Only Mezo heard it judging by the multiple concerned frowns thrown her way. She bite's back the pain sending her friends a crooked smile trying to hide her quiet suffering as everyone was ushered out by the concerned fanboy nurse arriving with their lunch used to seeing the hidden pain of injured heroes fighting to uphold their image.

"Oh, hun, I'll get you a couple pain pills. Fight on Uravity!" The slightly younger pink quaffed haired man quickly served their food and rushed out to get help.

"Are you okay, Ochako? Kero." Tsuyu was looking at her with those same beautiful damn concerned swirling inkwell eyes she'd fallen for and had bi panic for in high school. She wasn't okay and the silent tears she hadn't noticed streaking her cheeks gave her away even as she gave a shaky left handed thumbs up.

She felt nauseous, like she used to when she overused her quirk in the early days, but it was worse rending her unable to respond verbally for fear of losing the sparse contents in her stomach. The pain was a hundred times worse than any fractured or broken bone she'd received in the past. Her vision was going fuzzy as the nurses ran in hurriedly feeding her the pills as the clenched the blanket in her powerful singular fist knuckles white. It would still take a while for them to work, or so the kind female nurse with ram horns said. The concerned nurses left minutes later leaving Ochako growling to herself in agony as Tsuyu watched helpless. It takes ten grueling minutes, but when they kicked in the former zero gravity hero felt like she was floating and powerful again as she and Tsuyu didn't touch their rapidly warming food sitting in that cursed silence until her stomach calmed.

They didn't really speak after that, eating in awkward clumsy silence as they accepted that these missing limbs were the new norm using their normally less used hands. Tsuyu was cursing herself internally for being selfish and Ochako, numbed, tried to not focus on the pain she had felt and the fear of feeling it again. Her fears were realized later though as the pink haired male nurse, Hana, solemnly explained "phantom limb pain" to a slightly out of it Uravity as he gathered their neatly stacked empty bowls and such and left with an apology.

Tsuyu's heart was breaking all over again, Ochako would now have to expect to feel and go through immense pain occasionally, most likely alone most of the time and there was nothing she could do about it. She'd probably feel it too at some point, to a lesser degree, though she brushed the thought away quickly all of her quiet concern going toward Uravity. At least they nervously exchanged new phone numbers as Froppy was discharged to go home. She looked back only once when leaving the room they shared and regretted it as she saw the absolutely defeated crushed and conflicted look on Ochako's face as she stared out the window with foggy eyes at the darkening sky and fluffy white orange clouds.

The queen of the sky was grounded and it was all her fault.

Tsuyu rides the train in subdued silence, having escaped the surprise rush of press waiting outside the hospital for one of the two famous injured pros, and sank into her seat absently smiling and taking pictures with the occasional fan keeping up her heroic public image as she died inside. She scrolled through her phone sending short responses to her inquiring friends, some she only talked to maybe once a month bombarding her with cute frog pictures and funny memes she sometimes didn't quite get. They honestly relieved some of the aching stress she felt and dull pain in her wrapped hand.

She absently squeezed the light brown plush puppy under one arm as her breath caught and the train lurched with her heart to a stop at her rural station outside the city a small ways from her home. Tsuyu re-read the short text over and over trying not to get her hopes up.

Ochako -hey tsu hope you got home safe-

Ended a hesitant second later with a cute familiar pair, a frog and dog emoji side by side. The long missed gesture making her eyes tear and a vivid memory come to mind:

 _+They were laying on a blanket on Ochako's dorm balcony anti-gravity sixteen year old pointing out the stars with excited yips as she remembered one after another. Well, she wasn't yipping, but her shrill sounds of excitement as she squeezed her large left hand in her right were really cute and puppy like as her big brown eyes sparkled. Tsuyu found herself staring at her best friend instead of the sky and spoke in her blunt way._

" _You remind me of a puppy. It's cute."_

 _Ochako literally yelps and covers her tomato red face with her own hands, plus one of Tsuyu's seeing as she hadn't let go yet. Tsuyu blushed herself feeling the warmth in the pudgier girl's round cheeks. They quickly separated by a foot, still thinking of the moment, as they continued to point out constellations as they fought off their blushes. They said awkward goodbyes at curfew, and both of them went to bed questioning lots of things late into the morning. Luckily it had been a Friday._

 _The next morning Tsuyu had awoken to Ochako's chosen ringtone for herself, the chorus of "Rocket Man" by Elton John, played loudly waking her out of her maybe three hours of sleep. Wiping said traces of sleep out of her eyes, Tsuyu looked at the message and smiled with a fond blush._

 _Ochako -Waffles?-_

 _Ended with a trio of emoji's, a cute frog and dog with a pink heart between them.+_

Shaking her head of the old cherished memory, Tsuyu calmed herself the best she could, and with her large normally graceful hands shaking she carefully typed and re-typed her response.

-I'm not quite there yet, but thanks, rest well.-

Ended with her favorite gif of the day, Mina sent to her, of a small green frog climbing on the head of an unperturbed brown dog and settling down.

Ochako - 3 -

She croaked in surprise blushing and almost tripping as she walked down the overgrown dirt road lined by rice fields full of similarly croaking frogs and loud crickets in the early spring evening light. Maybe...Maybe she and Ochako could start over. It felt like she was in high school again confused by her bubbly floating heart palpitations brought on by the then aspiring zero gravity hero. Tsuyu allowed a minuscule smile to cross her face the rest of her walk up a narrow path into the woods lining the fields toward the really nice home she rarely ever lived in left to her by her grandparents when she graduated. Swallowing her shame and riding the high she sent a final text before unlocking the door, with her cherished brown puppy on a cloud key chain dangling from her keys, and entering her dark traditional style home surrounded by a large beautiful pond full of giant and tiny lily pads.

\- 3 -

Ochako's expression was blank as she stared at the messages. Sure, they made her heart skip a beat and hope swell in her chest, but they still had to talk this out and not over the phone. This...mess, they'd both been avoiding for two long years needed to be solved. She silently thanked Hana, her favorite nurse she decided, for the pain medicine because as the moon rose and her dinner went uneaten at least she was uncomfortably numb all over and not in pain as she put her phone on the bed stand with her unsure hand. She wouldn't notice it fell and shattered until the next morning thanks to her dulling senses.

Ochako caught the cute stuffed frog that almost fell off the bed even with her slowed reflexes and single hand, ignoring but certainly noticing the fact that her stump had jerked as well, as she turned carefully over to face the empty bed next to her. She mentally ached. Now fully remembering what it was like to be with her once most trusted friend she missed her calming presence deeply. The former anti-gravity hero on top of the world quietly cried herself to sleep alone again, body numb, clutching the stuffed frog in her large left arm tightly as she drifted off like a scared teen just like when she had now long resolved nightmares of Himiko Toga, or of her parents dying in that dreaded accident all over again. Though scared and unsure of the future, she at least knew her crush was talking to her after whatever she did to chase the rank five rescue hero away what feels like an eternity ago.

 _So you meditate or medicate  
To maintain, what a getaway  
But it's coming  
Oh yeah the numbing_

 _Super Novacaine  
(You're dead as dead can be)  
You won't feel a thing_

" _Novacaine" - 10 Years_


	3. Ch3 Internal Zombies

_But, you see it's not me  
It's not my family  
In your head, in your head  
They are fighting_

 _With their tanks and their bombs  
And their bombs and their guns  
In your head in your head they are crying_

Tsuyu awoke on the edge of her large fluffy futon half on the floor with a cold sweat, messy hair tangled around her face, and shaking at three am on the dot still healing hand smacking the old tatami and painfully hissing through her teeth in response. It had been five days since she'd seen/left Ochako in the hospital broken and sad. Five days of nightmares of that lowly bastard villain sending a sharp wave of energy, or whatever it was, flying at her love...friend, or acquaintance at this point she didn't know. Though the nightmares were bad, worse than her nightmares of their very first battle with the twisted young leader of the league of villains when she was literally almost disintegrated from the top down. Remembering Ochako sleeping over in her dorm after that in her bed at night comforting her when she awoke shaking almost translucently pale. This time there wasn't soft hands, usually making things float like her heart, grounding her and an understanding smile to soothe her fears.

The first bad dream ended with Ochako looking into her eyes missing her arm and bleeding profusely mouth closed in a disgusted line aimed at her, long time friends screaming their names, closest to how it really happened with extra guilt. She cried into her pillow before falling asleep into the same scenario over and over that night.

The second ends with both of Uravity's arms on the ground as she looked up into traumatized brown eyes overflowing with tears. The oozing blood making wet very audible sounds in the complete unsettling calm quiet of the moment. She wakes up screaming into the two am silence most likely just to chase away that guilty mostly soundless hell's unsettling quietness she never wanted to experience again.

In the third, she's is cut in half at her sharply dressed suited waist as she moves to embrace the ocean rescue hero. Scene playing out like the villains at USJ had planned to do to All Might. It's horrible and graphic just like the others, her love's intestines splattered at her feet this time, so she runs to the restroom to empty her stomach of it's contents involuntarily multiple times.

Fourth, Ochako is holding her in her strong arms whispering loving words into her pale ear. Then she doesn't feel her arms around her anymore. She's covered in her only love's blood and her warm eyes held nothing in their darkened chestnut brown pits aimed at her. _"_ _You're two years too late._ _"_ She bawled into her pillow until the sun rose.

Fifth. Today. The screaming was still in her head fresh from that horrible night but she refused to recount the happenings of this dream even to herself, choosing to repress the memory. Though the screaming was still ever present in her mind. The actual real life anguish she had heard in that scream chilled her to the bone and had tears pricking at her eyes as she looked at the dark ceiling above her with her healing unwrapped hand resting on her tight twisting stomach on top of old pink and green frog patterned pajamas Ochako had gifted her on their last x-mas together.

Her phone caws like a raven as she's about to break down again interrupting her sorrow and fear. After this event she didn't think she'd ever stop crying. She blinked through her tears though and tried to focus on the message, not surprised to see it was from Fumikage seeing as the insomniac man usually checked up on her now around this time, ever since the reunion disaster and the start of her horrid nightmares.

Also it was his custom chime she heard.

Kage -Are you doing alright at the moment? Just checking in.-

Tsuyu smiles tiredly at the screen, her best friend's genuine concern warming her aching cold heart a bit. She typed a reply thinking she'd finally gotten the hang of gently typing on her phone with her partially missing hand. Glad to be distracted even just a bit.

-No. I had an even worse dream tonight.-

Blunt. Fumikage didn't mind though. He was patient and understanding with her, maybe in another world if she were bi or straight they would have dated or been dating...Tsuyu made herself laugh a little, it was gross to imagine seeing as the emo bird man had been like a slightly elder brother to her, also they were both in reality incredibly gay out and proud as of a year pretty soon. It was nice to be looked after instead of doing the looking for so long, she had to admit. She hugs the stuffed dog in her arms as the caw interrupted her before her thoughts could sour once more.

Kage -Do you want to discuss it?-

Kage -You don't have to if it brings up terrible thoughts you'd rather forget.-

Tsuyu hesitated her tears gathering once more. Just thinking vaguely of that dream brought up the haunting scream...she'd rather forget. She steadied her breathing and replied.

-No. Do you want to get coffee in a few hours? I have to go into the city to submit an extension of leave.-

She hated coffee, but she knew he loved it. No matter what she did to it, it always seemed too bitter, but she'd just order warm green tea with honey instead of sugar as always if they do go. No big deal. She briefly wondered if Ochako still loved peppermint tea or coffee both with tons of sugar like in high school still.

Kage -Of course. Mezo and I will meet you at the usual establishment. Please, try to rest.-

Tsuyu sighs looking at her other unanswered messages. They were multiple from her parents, she had been avoiding them since two days ago when they'd asked her about Ochako in a speaker call and she just sobbed making them worry, again. They had enough problems watching her younger siblings and working their demanding pedestrian jobs. Sure they were overly concerned sometimes, but good parents in that they understood the twenty year old woman needed her space occasionally. They still asked her how she was doing in poorly orchestrated text messages telling her about her beloved siblings and that they loved and supported her every single day.

She really loves her family. Though that makes her think of her love's family, deceased, and her wide eyes start leaking against her will. Not only did her poor friend adore her parents, the now twenty year old pro hero then teenage hero in training loved them too, they were kind and always comforting to her and their daughter. It pained her even more to realize Ochako never got the chance to make her struggling parents rich, her dream just only set into motion before their death.

Crying again, Tsuyu sets her alarm for a mere hour and a half and forces herself to fall back asleep. Out of pure exhaustion she blacks out into the void not dreaming this time thankfully.

The next time Froppy's awakened by the standard chime of an unassigned messenger instead of her alarm, going off multiple times, but it was only five minutes before she intended to wake so she sighed and rose for another day without hearing from Ochako. The retired hero stopped messaging her after the first night Tsuyu went home. It hurt, but she assumed her former best friend was bitter and cut her off like she had her. She deserved it after all. The rainy season hero on break rose like the dead too tired to cry anymore, checking the multiple messages asking how she was as she drug her feet to the restroom, and once more out of character she almost trips the anonymous sender revealing themselves to be: _"Ochako…!"_

-hey tsu! :3c-

-it's me ochako srry for not responding! broke my phone and got a new one just last night but I fell asleep early recovery granny am I right lol c:-

-do you want to get a bite to eat maybe? to catch up of course!-

She quickly saved the new number and blushed with hopeful optimism flooding her lately very tortured mind. It looked like the other woman had regained some of her youthful energy because her typing was frantic and happy like it used to be it seemed, but she didn't want to assume or ruin things. She took a second to think of the perfect thing to type back. Not great in reality, but it's something.

-Of course. Do you get out of the hospital today?-

Literal seconds before a reply.

Ochako...3 -i got out yesterday! no more nasty food! yay! :DDD-

Tsuyu feels relief sweep through her as she grabs her toothpaste and toothbrush and typed a quick reply herself.

-I'm happy for you. I have plans this morning, what time and where do you want to meet this evening?-

With that she started to prepare for the day. Heart still beating out of her chest, fighting the negative thoughts, with every text exchanged between the two angst ridden women.

Ochako blushed as she filled her beloved hamsters food dish almost over filling it as she looks at the rolling message preview on her cellular device sitting next to said bowl shaped like a strawberry on her desk. Izuku and Tenya had been feeding/watering the adorable golden long haired fatso while she was laid up in the hospital and she'd have to thank them today when they meet to go jogging in about fifteen minutes. After all Tenya hated, well hate is not right, more like was terrified of the smallish rodent complaining animatedly about salmonella poisoning every time he saw him milling about his large well looked after tank in her space paraphernalia ridden room.

"Here you go, Kin, stuff your face." She watched him with affection as he used his little pink hands to do just that and shove his favorite bits of the healthy food mix, the few sunflower seeds, into his cheeks greedily. Ochako tapped fondly on the glass with her hand making him perk up with his beady red eyes staring in the general direction of the noise for a moment before going back to his business. She'd rescued him from a tiny box left in the rain one sad day after she'd been heavily mourning her parents on a walk. He was her literal little ray of sunshine providing needed comfort especially as she fought every day to be positive. The retired hero would rather him have been a fluffy dog, of the large variety, but she couldn't put the busy life of a hero on an innocent social animal. Luckily Kin's species didn't get lonely, so she'd studied and been confirmed enthusiastically by Koji.

The fallen hero shook her head and responded to the message after securely and clumsily closing the well vented screen lid of the almost fifty gallon tank, that the chubby hamster ruled over all by himself, with her lone hand. He never got lonely, and she possibly envied her simple pet for that simple fact. All he needed was low calorie food, clean water, clean bedding, chews, and a large wheel to run in and he's happy.

With a small bit of hope in her heart she typed the details of their date-no, meet up she corrected herself, to Tsuyu making sure to add the frog and puppy emojis to the end and sent it. Just like she used to and knew her adorable frog friend always admired it when she did, so she had said once. She put her phone in her black sports bra snugly in her ample cleavage.

The confirmation sent back to her before she left her single room almost made her float with excitement, but she kept herself calm and rational as she stuffed the phone back in and grabbed her keys from the small kitchen island leaving the small cozy apartment and stepping into the only slightly chilly spring morning. She locked the heavy door behind her with the little worn plastic frog figure chain dangling from the key ring resting in her hand as she jogged down the second story stairs. She didn't want to think of her new inability to disengage her quirk, so instead thought of the day Tsuyu gifted her the tiny key chain figure. Ochako smiled sadly on her way to the nearby park putting said cherished frog sitting on it's lily pad into the deep pocket of her pink jogging pants as she reminisced, like she often does, about the cherished time.

 _+It was a hot sunny day and Uravity was in the dorms of UA, third year halfway over and summer break just ended. The two inseparable friends had planned to go out for mochi to catch up to Ochako's delight. The gravity manipulator was currently floating off the couch unknown to herself having accidentally triggered her, not so honed, quirk with her emotions._

" _Ochako-chan, you're floating." Jirou snickered plucking the strings of her new ukulele in a chipper tune as said fellow seventeen year old blushed and stuck her fingertips together to disengage onto the soft shared couch. Momo also giggled from her spot laying down reading a book with her head in her small goth girlfriend's lap where she'd been listening to the pleasant soft strumming._

" _Oops, heh." Ochako scratched her neck blushing looking away from the happy couple a bit jealous, quickly squashing her increased jealousy as the other happy power couple of UA's class 3-A, Katsuki and Eijirou, walked into the common room holding hands and a soft ribbit sounded from behind her place on the large couch. She whipped around to see an amused Tsuyu standing in a flowing soft green sundress and a large straw hat in matching green flip flops with little white flowers on the tops, loose shimmering black hair also flowing in the nearby ac breeze. Uravity blushes again this time looking away from the overly cute if not beautiful sight as she internally criticizes her more basic outfit. She just wore a light pink crop top exposing her slightly toned but pudgy stomach and some cutoff jean shorts also in flip flops but hot pink and obviously of the bargain store brand._

" _You look cute, Ochako." Tsuyu said tilting her head in that way said brunette girl adores tongue sticking out slightly and ink like eyes wide and sparkling with something Ochako can't identify as she blushed totally red and stood up. She mechanically walked over to the frog hero in training's further amusement. Also Momo and Kyoka weren't hiding their giggles at this point, now distracted Eijirou cheering, as Ochako wrapped her smaller hand around Tsuyu's larger and tugged the shorter girl out of the dorm building not letting go until they were off campus and almost to the mochi specializing pop-up Tsuyu had discovered. Both girls hid their disappointment at the loss of contact as they passed a trinket shop on the busy strip they walked through side by side, something catching a curious Ochako's eye._

 _It was adorable. A tiny green frog key chain with it's pink tongue sticking out slightly and a wide cartoon like smile sitting on a lily pad. Ochako blushed silently comparing it to the adorable girl looking curiously at what had stopped her dear friend in her tracks, entirely too close judging by the tingles she felt in her arm almost touching hers._

" _Do you like frogs, Ochako? Kero." Tsuyu couldn't help the affection bubbling in her chest as the other girl blushed tearing widened brown eyes away from the cute item. The water rescue hero in training had to admit, she would have probably purchased it for herself if she'd seen it on her own. The adoration in Ochako's eyes as she stared at the cheap plastic item had been intriguing though._

" _N-No! I mean, yeah kinda, I've grown fond of them lately..." Ochako still averts her chestnut eyes with a cute nervous giggle and Tsuyu swiftly walked into the small shop, mind made up in a moment of silence. The gravity girl was confused for a moment, but when she saw her best friend go up to the counter and point to the frog in the window with her perfect elegant hand. She panics and doesn't even_

 _notice the froggy girl pick out a key chain for herself as well of a fluffy brown puppy sitting on a cloud with an adoring look on her usually hard to read face._

 _She was stuttering out nonsense as Tsuyu paid for the trinkets, exited the shop one key chain in hand other out of sight in one of the large pockets on either side of her dress, and handed it to her with a tiny barely noticeable blush dusting her cheeks and the sunlight making her long black hair shimmer like an oil slick rainbow. If Ochako hadn't been so close she would have missed the breathtaking scene of a rare blush on the considerably paler, almost green, girl's skin. She vigorously thanked her beloved classmate and linked their arms on the way again to the mochi shop. Smile as bright as a star as she hooked the frog to her dorm key ring with some difficulty not wanting to unhook their entwined arms as they walked. Tsuyu internally panicked. She realized then what she'd been feeling this school year was romantic love for Ochako, but the bubbly assumed straight girl doesn't know that, she can't._

 _After that wonderful memorable trip to the mochi pop-up things changed between them, for the worst, but Ochako always carries the small trinket and professed good luck charm to this day regardless.+_

"Ochako!" Tenya stands and waves her over in the robotic way he always has and she puts a bright face on for the two waiting men sitting on a park bench quiet serious discussion over.

"Morning my guys!" She wraps the two in a careful incomplete hug cautious of her still tender stump red and barely completely closed at the end now thanks to Recovery Girl. If it had been a week and a bit earlier she would have lifted the two muscular men off the ground, without her quirk, and spun them around to half hearted giggling protests. She can't do that on their at least weekly or monthly jogs anymore. Izuku seems to notice her flash of sorrow but he's polite enough to not ask her about it, at least not now. She was sensitive still about her missing limb and he knew that.

"Let's get jogging!" She darted ahead of the men hiding her conflicted eyes from her two best friends.

Outside she was smiling and active as ever, but inside she was dead and slowly rotting.

 _In your head  
In your head  
Zombie, zombie, zombie, ei, ei  
What's in your head?  
In your head _

" _Zombie" - The Cranberries_


End file.
